


Promise Me

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-16
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2018-02-17 16:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2316569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel's an herb shop owner, Dean's a hunters son.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a ficlet for Alyxrush on Tumblr, No beta so excuse the typos

He's sweeping up the floor of his shop when the bell above the door jingles. 

"We're closed" are the first words out of Castiel's mouth as he pulls out a rag to wipe down his counter. 

"Not even for a hunter?" Came a gruff response, and castiel froze up, turning himself quickly and grabbing his broom, pointing it at the hunter standing in his shop. 

"What do you need and I'll go get it for you. But I don't like wandering hands, so you're going to stay right there." Castiel said in a low voice, squinting at the man. 

"Dragon's breath" he said after a moment and Castiel grunted in response, shuffling off to his back room before returning with a jar of the rare herb. 

"How much do you need of it?" Castiel asked, motioning for the hunter to step closer. 

"How much you got?" Came the response. 

"Depends on how much you need." Castiel said, tone short and to the point. 

"I need three grams of it-"

"That's a lot." Castiel commented offhandedly, 

"It's a big job." Came another reply. Castiel sighed and jotted something down on a notepad. 

"Come back tomorrow for your dragons breath and I'll have three grams of it." Castiel said after a moment, eying the hunter wearily. 

"Alright. I'll be in tomorrow."

"Before I close." Castiel added as the hunter moved towards the door. 

"Before you close." He repeated before the bell above his door jingled and the tall hunter left. 

 

\---

 

His bell above the door jingled half way through the day, and when castiel looked up, the hunter was back. Castiel's eyes pulled together in confusion as two boys were standing behind the hunter, the younger couldn't have been older than 13, the older was probably a few years older. They were just children. 

"Hello." He greeted politely, moving behind his counter to get out what the hunter from yesterday had requested as he stepped closer to the counter. 

"Here's your dragon breath." Castiel said, jotting down on paper how much was being given. 

"Woah-"

"Don't touch" 

"But dad look-"

"Don't touch, Dean."

The taller boy sulked slightly, trying to pull his gaze away from the small bookshelf to the left of Castiel's counter. 

"You may look at those" Castiel said after a moment, setting the bag John would take on the counter in front of him. The two older males shared a look, John glaring while Castiel squinted back at the hunter. 

Dean seemed to take that as an okay because he promptly picked up the book on lore and flipped through it with interest. John payed for the dragon's breath before he tugged his two boys out of the shop, both boys leaving and sulking. 

 

\---

 

It was three days before a, not as familiar, but familiar head popped into Castiel's shop, the bell ringing. 

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Castiel asked as he watched Dean, bright green eyes and freckled, step over to him. 

"Shouldn't you be concerned about that cat sitting on the steps of your shop. 

"That's Ezekiel, leave him be." Castiel huffed in annoyance, watching the younger male out of the corner of his eye as he moved around his shop and looked at his various herbs and books that littered the tiny shop. 

"Can I help out?"

"No." Castiel grunted and turned back to sorting through various herbs that needed jars. He barely registered that Dean was stepping over, grabbing his broom when castiel looked up again. 

"What're you doing-"

"Chill dude, I'm just gonna sweep." Dean waved his hand at the older male, rolling his green eyes and Castiel swore in his mind that when Dean did that, it probably hurt pretty bad. He watched the younger boy move around his shop and sweep up the dust and the small amount of herbs and teas that had managed to fall out from their jars. 

"Why aren't you in school?" Castiel tried again, figuring if the boy was going to be in his shop he might as well try for conversation. 

"Oh- well uh, me and books, we don't get along great. Besides, Sammy is more of the book nerd." Dean replied casually, face bright with pride. 

"This is the other boy that was in here with you yesterday?" Castiel inquired and Dean nodded in response, green eyes locked on the floor where he was sweeping. 

"Yeah- Sammy doesn't deserve the hunter life. As much as dad wants him to.." He trailed off and grunted, looking up at Castiel.

"What about you? You seem to not mind hunters as much." 

\---

 

That's how Castiel found himself talking about his older brother Gabriel, eyes sad and soft as he spoke quietly about how good Gabriel was at what he did. 

"Was?" Dean asked after Castiel seemed to be done with speaking. 

"Yes. Gabriel was a hunter. He went missing on one of his hunts and I have not seen or heard from him in years. I have accepted he is most likely gone." Castiel said casually and Dean winced. 

"I'm sorry Cas. Can I call you that? I'm gonna." Dean rubbed his neck, leaning against the broom. 

"It's quite alright. And yes you may call me Cas." He said with a small smile and shake of his head. Dean returned to sweeping, getting the dust pan and dumping what he swept up into the trash with a satisfied expression. 

\---

 

They spend their time like that, Dean skipping out on classes while Castiel worked. 

"You like him don't you?" Castiel said one day, watching Dean from the corner of his eye pet Ezekiel. 

"Eh, he's not half bad." Dean confessed, cheeks flushed a light shade of pink, "besides all he does it lay around in the same spot." Dean grinned over his shoulder at the dark haired male, eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. He starts laughing when Ezekiel meows and bumps his head against Dean's hand. 

Castiel decides he likes the way Dean laughs.  

\---

 

Dean brings Sam in one day, after Sam's done with school of course, and Castiel loves how Dean excitedly tells Sam about everything in the shop. Pointing out the herbs and giving them backstory, explaining much how Cas had. Castiel smiled from his book, watching the look of wonder cross Sam's face as Dean told him about the 'Angel's tear' herb, which 'is ridiculously expensive but that's how Cas makes money' and Castiel can't help but laugh quietly. 

\---

 

It's Dean who asks if he can see the 'back room' which Castiel guesses is a big deal in the younger hunters mind. Castiel waits until closing to bring Dean to the back, allowing him to see what he didn't put out on his shelves, an assortment of rare herbs and books that were older than castiel could count back to. Dean's eyes were wide with wonder, it reminded Castiel of taking a child into the candy store for the first time. 

"Can I touch?" Dean had asked, hovering around the books before Castiel quietly laughed, covering his mouth. 

"Of course you can."

Castiel thought that Dean getting excited was second best to his laugh and smile. 

\---

 

Dean is getting ready to leave when Castiel turns around, starting to put things up on the shelf. 

"Cas-"

"Just a moment." Castiel cuts in, Dean sounds closer than he was a moment ago, Castiel pretends his heart doesn't flutter. 

He collects himself, taking just a moment before turning towards Dean, tilting his head as he turned to face the other male. 

He was taken aback, how close Dean suddenly was, blue eyes widening in surprise. 

"Dean-"

 

He was being pushed back, his lower back bumping against his shelves as the jars of herbs rattled slightly. 

Then soft lips, slightly chapped, being pressed to his own. Dean's an aggressive kisser, Castiel decides, hands fisted in his loose sweater- teeth nipping at his lower lip. Castiel feels the blush rise up the back of his neck until he's pushing at Dean, turning their positions as Dean is pushed back and up against the counter. Castiel doesn't give Dean a moment to say anything, kissing him hard. Castiel feels raw, he feels open- if he had known  Dean felt this way they would have been like this sooner. He pulls back, the blush now up to his ears as he takes in Dean's appearance, messy hair, jacket half on, lips parted and swollen from their aggressive kissing. 

"Dean.." Castiel starts, and Dean's face goes pink and he looks away, coughing nervously. 

"I should go get Sammy." 

And just like that, Dean is out the door and booking it to his Impala. 

\---

Dean doesn't come by the next day, or the day after that. Castiel swears there's a hole in his chest, like something's eating away what's left of him. 

He misses Dean. 

\---

Dean finally comes by, alone, the bell jingling to the shop. Castiel knew he looked like hell, rims of his eyes red, his hair a mess. Castiel was exhausted, turning to greet the customer and stopping short when his eyes locked with green ones. 

"Dean?" His voice cracks and he watches Dean flinch. 

"Cas I'm sorry-"

"No- no don't say that." Castiel pleads as Dean makes his way over to him. 

"No Cas, let me finish." Dean huffed, squinting at the taller male. 

"Look I..I really like you Cas..a lot. And I shouldn't..I should have asked." Dean mumbled, looking down at the floor as he rubbed the toe of his shoe into the small dip of the hardwood floors. 

"I like you too, Dean." Castiel answers finally, and Dean's head snaps up and his face lights up with a grin. 

"Really?" Dean is moving closer, standing toe to toe with the shop owner, green eyes bright with joy. 

"Yes really."

\---

Dean tells Castiel, a week later that their dad is done with his hunt, that they'll be leaving soon. Castiel feels his heart sink for the second time in the past month. 

"I'll try to write and call you Cas, I promise." Dean tries to reassure him, it's not the same. Dean is leaving and Cas will be alone, again. 

He blinks back to reality to see Dean waving his hand in his face. 

"Earth to Cas?"

"I apologize, I am here." 

"Here-" Dean is pulling the ring off his index finger, putting it on Castiel's thumb, "I promise Cas, I'll come back." Dean grins, all teeth and crinkles at the corners of his eyes.

"I trust you.." Castiel smiles back. 

\---

Dean doesn't get to say goodbye before he has to leave. 

\---

It's four years after Dean, Castiel hasn't forgotten about him, his heart doesn't hurt as much. Castiel picked up some friends, they're dead of course, bee spirits- who would have guessed. 

He hears the bell on the door of his shop jingle and he hums. 

"Just a moment." He calls from putting a few jars back. 

"I see Ezekiel is still around." Comes a deep voice and Castiel feels chills run up his arms as he turns quickly, blue eyes wide. 

"Dean-"

"Heya Cas." He's not the young boy that was there four years ago, eyes still just as bright. Dean's filled out well, body built, strong arms, tall. Taller than Castiel now. 

"You grew." Castiel smiles, stepping around the counter, silver ring still on his thumb. 

"Hell yeah I did." Dean sounds proud, voice deep and gruff as he moves closer, reaching out to pick up Castiel's hand, examining the ring. 

"You kept her nice, didn't you?" He's smiling fondly and Castiel decides, even after four years, he still loves Dean's smile. 

"C'mere.." Dean murmurs, tugging the shorter male closer, catching him in a light kiss. They part and Castiel is smiling now, eyes crinkling in the corners. 

"I like these little bees you've got floating around." Dean adds and Castiel let's out a laugh, ducking his head down to press it against Dean's chest. 

"I missed you, Dean.."

"Missed ya too, Cas. But I'm back now, remember? I promised."


End file.
